Player News - Orioles

It echoes a recent report from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who suggested Wednesday that the Rockies are not done spending despite handing out a five-year, $70 million contract to Ian Desmond at the Winter Meetings. Trumbo led the majors in homers this past year with 47 and his bat would obviously fit well at Coors Field, though there are defensive limitations. He'd have to play a lot of first base in the National League, and it's scary to imagine him trying to cover any ground in the Colorado outfield. What the Rockies really need is pitching.

Orioles selected RHP Jefri Hernandez from the Reds in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Hernandez registered a 3.06 ERA this summer between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock, though it came with 20 walks in 32 1/3 innings. If he can figure out the control issues, the 25-year-old right-hander could turn into something.

Orioles selected OF Anthony Santander from the Indians with the No. 18 pick in the Rule 5 Draft.

Santander was one of the best bats available in Thursday morning's Rule 5 Draft, but he's never played in a game above High-A ball. The 22-year-old outfielder finished the 2016 season with a .290/.368/.494 slash line, 20 home runs, 95 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 128 games with High-A Lynchburg. He'll try to stake his claim on a bench spot in O's camp next spring.

Orioles selected outfielder Aneury Tavarez from the Red Sox with the No. 12 pick in the Rule 5 draft.

Tavarez, who turns 25 in April, hit .335/.379/.506 in a breakout campaign for Double-A Portland last season. He has decent speed, but the Red Sox mostly had him playing in the corners, rather than in center field. He'll need his bat to carry him in the majors, so it just remains to be seen whether his 2016 was for real. Before coming in at .869 last season, his best OPS in five minor league seasons was .736.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Rockies are still considering signing Mark Trumbo.

Colorado just inked Ian Desmond to a contract in the neighborhood of five years, $70 million, but that does not appear to be a block to the club making further moves in free agency. Rosenthal relays that should Colorado opt to sign Trumbo, they would likely play him at first base and trade an outfielder. The plugged-in FOX Sports analyst sees Carlos Gonzalez as a player who might move in a trade if the Trumbo domino falls to Coors Field.

Orioles general manager Dan Duquette said that the team has no intention of trading Zach Britton or Manny Machado.

Duquette indicated that the Orioles are looking to build around their core players, meaning there doesn't figure to be a ton of jostling with the team's bigger names this offseason. Britton led the American League with 47 saves last season while Machado cracked 37 homers and drove in 96 runs.

Zach Britton has turned down an invitation to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

And the Orioles are probably thrilled with that decision. Britton was tremendous in 2016, registering a 0.54 ERA in 67 innings with an AL-leading 47 saves. He deserves to take it a little easy next spring.

Agent Scott Boras said Wednesday that Pedro Alvarez could play some outfield in 2017.

Or at least that's what Boras is trying to pitch to teams. Can't blame him for trying, but Alvarez is best-utilized as a designated hitter, which limits the potential landing spots. Alvarez batted .249/.322/.504 with 22 homers in 376 plate appearances with the Orioles this past season.

Agent Scott Boras said Wednesday that his client Matt Wieters might not sign until January.

Wieters' market has been rather quiet after he put up an underwhelming .711 OPS (87 OPS+) in 2016 while also taking a step back behind the plate. The Orioles didn't make him a qualifying offer this time, so at least he doesn't have draft pick compensation attached. Boras said he has talked to several teams, but he appears content with waiting out the market.

This is in line with previous reports which suggested he was asking for a deal in the $75-80 million range. The Rockies are off the board as a possibility after signing Ian Desmond and the Mariners are reportedly "moving on," so he could be running out of potential landing spots. And that's speaking nothing of the other first base/outfield/DH possibilities available via free agency and trade. Regardless, Heyman says that Trumbo has suitors. The Orioles and Indians would seem to fit that mold.

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Mariners are "moving on" from free agent slugger Mark Trumbo.

ESPN's Jim Bowden reported Tuesday night that the Mariners were in serious talks with Trumbo, but Chris Cotillo of SB Nation later noted that it was largely overblown and Crasnick hears that "several things would have to happen" for them to re-engage with him. As of now, they are content with using a platoon of Dan Vogelbach and Danny Valencia at first base. The Rockies are off the board as a possibility for Trumbo after the Ian Desmond signing, so a return to the Orioles could still happen. He might just have to lower some of his demands to make that happen.

According to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation, "the seriousness of the talks between Mark Trumbo [and] the Mariners was overblown."

Cotillo hears there still might be a fit, but ESPN's Jim Bowden tweeted Tuesday night that the two sides were engaged in "serious" contract negotiations and that report now sounds mostly false. Trumbo is said to be looking for a contract in the $75-80 million range, after rejecting a four-year, $52-55 million offer from the Orioles a couple weeks ago. He's probably not going to meet that high asking price despite leading the major leagues in homers in 2016. There are just too many limitations with him defensively, and he owns a .303 career on-base percentage.

According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the Indians have talked to free agent slugger Mark Trumbo.

Heyman also confirms that Cleveland has been in contact with other big free agent bats like Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Mike Napoli. Trumbo carries serious defensive limitations, but he did lead the major leagues in homers this past season with 47. The 30-year-old reportedly turned down a four-year, $52-55 million offer from the Orioles two weeks ago and countered at four years, $75-80 million.

ESPN's Jim Bowden reports that the Mariners are in serious talks with free agent Mark Trumbo.

Trumbo got a four-year, $52-55 million offer from the Orioles a few weeks ago and turned it down, with followup reports suggesting he wants something closer to $75-80 million. Seattle's Safeco Field would obviously be a big drain on Trumbo's power, like it was in 2015, but he carries legitimate free agent juice as the major league leader in homers (47) from 2016.

According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have begun extension talks with starter Chris Tillman.

Encinca calls them "introductory" negotiations. Tillman is set for a big payday in his final turn through salary arbitration after registering a cool 3.77 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.285 WHIP, and 140/66 K/BB ratio across 172 innings (30 starts) for the O's in 2016. He is scheduled to become a free agent next offseason.